Ice cream



Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,500,315 ICE CREAM Carl F. Keener. Brooklyn, N. Y. assignor to e Borden Company, New York, lN'. Y., a corpo r a tlon of New Jersey No Drawing. Application January 18, 1948. Serial N 41,638 1 6 Claims. (Cl. 99-136) 2 The present invention relates to the manufacquantities of the other milk solids not fat which ture of ice cream. More particularly, it relates occur as constituents of ki mm; li 1;; to the manufacture of an ice cream ha practicing my invention the total quantity of lacmarkedly superior characteristics of flavor, body, tose should not rise above that which the art texture and holding quality. Thus the present a recognizes as the maximum beyond which undue invention comprises not only an improvement crystallization occurs and of course in this rein the process of making ice cream but also prospect the technique of seed crystallization may vides an improved product. be found to be advantageous However, in ac- Commercial ice creams usually contain certain cordance with my invention, the quantity of lacpercentages of butter fat, milk solids not fat 10 tose may beraised to substantially the maximum which are usually supplied in the form of skim permissible quantity to secure new and unexmilk solids, sugar, stabilizing material and iiapected improvements in the ice cream with revormg or flavoring and coloring material. The gard to the flavor, texture and body thereof butter fat content of ice cream may vary anywithout the unfavorable results frequently flowwhere from about 8 per cent up to 20 per cent ing from an increase in the quantity of skim milk or more by weight of the total ice cream, desolids. pending upon particular flavoring used and local It is accordingly an object of the present inregulations and further depending upon the vention to provide an ice cream of improved flagrade and selling price of the ice cream. The vor, texture and body and to provide a process for present invention results in definite improve the production of such improved ice cream ment in the flavor and body of the ice cream of Other and further ob ects of the present invenany usual butter fat content and is particularly tion will become apparent upon consideration of advantageous in high butter fat ice creams the following detailed disclosure of preferred em- Many attempts have been made in the past to bodlments oi the invention. produce ice creams of improved food value, taste, 5 The composition of skim milk solids has been and body by careful control of the ratio between examined by a number of workers in the art and butter fat and skim milk solids. It is generally the following table shows the results of three recognized, however, that there are rather deilrecognized authorities. In this table, the pernite limitations on the amount of skim milk centages are of course based on whole milk. solids which may be added to an ice cream, such limitations residing in the tendency f e in 0 According m Richmond Toeher va Slyke the constituents to impart a flavor which is likely x to mask the pleasant flavor of the cream and p cent P" P" 1n the tendency of lactose to crystallize and as a 4-70 4.64 5.10 result to impart a sandy texture to the ice cream snoug s ssfiwg. 3.46 3.52 3.20 Attempts have been made in the past to mod- Ash my the skim milk solids with a View o OVeI00m- Total 3.19 8.86 9.00 mg the objections arising from the standpoint of taste and sandiness. One established practice p the above table 1; will be seen t t with regard to sandiness is to reduce the relative n cording t Ri hm nd lactose comprises 52.70 amount of lactose in the kim milk S i s y i per cent of the total milk solids not fat in skim tlally (161M! Sing e Same and hus o Permit solids According to Tocher it comprises the addition of a slightly larger quantity thereof 52 per t, and according t v slyke 11; to an ice c1 earn Withou da er of unpleasan comprises 56 60 per cent. A figure of 53 per cent crystallization In other instances seed crystals 40 win e used m t i specification The ratio of relative quantity ing a correspo of lactose with ndin decrease more than about 11 to 11% percent skim milk solids may be used in ice cream without incurring sandiness. while this establishes an upper limit on skim milk solids, it is a limit which is not too frequently reached because of the unpleasant flavor which may be imported by the other components of skim milk solids.

I have discovered that while it might be considered desirable from the standpoint of flavor alone to reduce the relative quantity of skim milk solids, a definite disadvantage is suflered from the standpoint oi texture and body. Surprising as it may seem, the texture and body of the ice cream suiiers more from the reduction in lactose than it does from the reduction in protein.

I have found it preferable to increase the relative amount of lactose above that in which it an established ice cream. amount of lactose must not be carried beyond the safe limit with regard to sandiness but other than this, I find that relative increases in the quantity of lactose result in progressive improvements in texture, body and flavor of the resulting ice cream.

It is possible, particularly with high butter [at ice creams, to refrain from adding skim milk solids as such and to substitute therefor up to the maximum permissible amount of lactose. In this event, an exceedingly rich textured ice cream is produced in which the flavor of the cream is completely predominant. In this case, as in the case of all of tthe formulations in which the lactose content is increased as taught herein, the increase inpercentage of soluble solids causes the ice cream to melt very rapidly upon being placed in the mouth. and rapidly, giving a cooling and refreshin effect which frequently is missing in the rich and expensive grades of ice cream even though made in accordance with best practices prior to my invention. Similarly, in those ice creams in which the butter fat content is quite low and the skim milk solids content is correspondingly high, the insoluble components of the skim milk solids have detracted from the refreshment value of the ice cream. In such ice creams my invention is particularly desirable because the amount of insoluble solids will usually be decreased without decreasing and in most cases increasing the amount of soluble lactose. In any ice cream improved in accordance withmy invention, the particular flavor of the fruits, syrups and the like which may be added to the ice cream is very sharply emphasized.

As suggested above, the amount of skim milk solids is ordinarily decreased as the butter fat content is increased. This is not only a matter of maintaining a fairly uniform total solids content but it has been demonstrated by experience that the undesirable flavor of certain constituents of the skim milk solids becomes more noticeable in the higher butter fat ice creams. Thus it is my belief that the following relationship between butter fat and skim milk solids has been accepted as more or less ideal."

In none of the above relationships is the quantity of skim milk solids suflicient to endanger the ice cream irom the standpoint of sandiness. In each case. however, any substantial increase in skim milk solids would very likely produce an undesirable flavor. In a 16 per cent butter fat ice cream, for example, as much as 10 per cent skim milk solids resultsin an ice cream having such a pronounced flavor imparted thereto that it detracts from the expected pleasing flavor of cream.

I have discovered that remarkably apparent improvement may be made even in these idea formulations by reducing the relative quantities of all milk solids not fat other than lactose. This reduction may be made most simply by reducing the quantity of milk solids not fat, usually supplied as skim milk solids and supplying additional lactose. The quantity of added lactose may be sumcient merely to bring the total lactose content back approximately to the amount which would have been present had the quantity of skim milk solids not been reduced, or it may be greater so long as the total lactose content does not rise above the 5.8 to 6 per cent limit or the slight extension thereof afforded by seed crystallization. The lactose thus added may be either alpha, beta or crude lactose. The same results may be achieved by treating skim milk solids to reduce the relative quantity therein of proteins and mineral salts and using such lactose-rich material in the place of part or all of the skim milk solids.

My invention may be practiced by separating skim milk solids and adding the individual components or groups thereof as may be desired. In accordance with the teaching of the following examples the relative quantity of lactose should always be greater than that which would be contained in an equivalent quantity of skim milk solids. Thus I have found it to be particularly advantageous to base an ice cream upon predetermined quantities of buter fat, protein, lactose, mineral salts and sugar rather than to follow the old practice of basing ice cream on predetermined quantities of butter fat, skim milk solids and sugar.

As a preliminary example, an ice cream normally containing 9 per cent skim milk solids may be changed to include 'I per cent skim milk solids plus 2 per cent lactose. If we assume that lactose comprises 53 per cent of the skim milk solids, it will be seen that of the 9 per cent skim milk solids 4.7? per cent is lactose. Of the 'l per cent skim milk solids 3.71 per cent is lactose. To the latter flgure we add another 2 per cent of lactose to bring the total lactose of the improved ice cream to 5.71 per cent. This means that the improvement results in increasing the lactose content of the ice cream by 0.94 per cent of the total weight of the ice cream and reducing the proteins and mineral salts as a group by an equal amount. Expressed otherwise, the ratio of lactose to all of the other milk solids not fat in the improved ice cream is 1.73:1. This ratio is greatb er by saqg ihsn the corresponding ratio in slum .m L-An ice cream established mm: on w i If the improvement described in this preliminary example is made in an ice cream containing pecially apparent when the ice cream is stored in the ice cube compartment of an ordinary domestic refrigerator. Another very noticeable improvement lies in the fact that when my improved uct may be adulterated. "*fii'flt In the disclosure thus far mad oral salts specific formulations as a result of the use of varimilk solids or upon the relationship between butcream established on the ter fat and the m um amount of per cent skim milk solids may be used without sandiness. 9 camistflbfllzel' De case of ice creams containing fruit, as for ez- V v n wcordance with my ample strawberry ice cream, the quantity of fruit mmuqn by Wtuung for the 7 per cent sum in the finished ice cream may constitute a subfl i be possible to substitute 7 per cent skim milk 45 the ice cream mix, it is possible to make a much so he u er fat s usua s pp ied in the form more extensive addition of lactose and to produce of mm n Of o r e h cr m Will on ain a strawberry ice cream of unusual excellence me im k So ds It ll be und rs ood that Thus it is possible. without danger of producthis 18 included in the mp e orth above ing sandiness to add lactose in such a quantity The 18st 1! of mp e 3 i ll s rative of as to bring the total content in the finished ice 55 an e n am with no added skim cream up to about 6 per cent. To this end, theremilk l fore, the ice cream mix intended for use in straw- In each of the above examples the change in berry ice cream may contain 16 per cent butter formulation may be accomplished by using skim fat. 7 per cent skim milk solids (of which 53 per solids and lactose selected from the group cent, or 3.71 per cent of the total 01' the mix, may 5 ml l'islng alpha. beta and. crude lactose, or it be assumed to be lactose). Lactose may be added, may e complished by treating skim milk solids for example, in an amount representing 4 per to reduce the relative quantity therein of all comcent of the weight of the mix. bringing the total ponents other than lactose and using such lacice cream mix constitutes only 70 per cent of 05 tion. 7. the chang s formulation may the finished strawberry ice cream, the lactose beaccom'plishedbysenarate addition-oi proteins,

content of the finished product will be about 5.4 mineral salts and lactose.

per cent, well within the established limit. From a considerationof the above examples it The remaining examples will be set forth withwill becom apparent that the total solids content out reference to the effect of voluminous 'fiavor- 70 of the ice cream is but. little ail'ected. In many above in the example pertaining to strawberry ice lmrtanee' when it isrecalled milk solids cream a II are h'equentlradded for the purpose of bringing thototulsolldsuptoacccptedstandard. Thus it witbhigbbutteriatioecreamsthatitis possible to nihstltutciactoee tor the entire skim content without objectionable reduction in total solids. Except for this practical consideration, it should be pointed out that ercentages set forth in the above examples need not followed. It is entirely possible, for tor '1 per cent skim milk to establish a desired coldness" and that particular flavors or ice cream may be controlled in this regard in a manner heretofore unavailable in the arta further consideration of the above examples it will be observed that the ratio of lactose to proteins and mineral salts in my improved ice creams is at the lowest 1.321. Such ratio is greater than the averase to proteins and mineral salts in skim milk solids by slightly more than per cent or the last-mentioned ratio. Obviously, also, in my improved ice cream the ratios of lactose to the mineral salts or to any other component or group oi components of skim milk solids is greater by at least 10 per cent than the corresponding ratios in skim milk solids.

As pointed out above, there is a commercial practice of partially delaetosins skim milk solids. It for any reason it is desired to use a partially delactosed product and at the same time to secure the benefits or my invention, it will be necessary to increase the amount of additional lactose to make up for the delactosing operation.

It is well known that lactose is much less sweet than surcosc or other sugars ordinarily used in ice cream, and for this reason it will be apparent that in many of the examples cited herein there reduction in the quantity oi In some cases, however, a slisht reduction can be made and in other cases, particularly where a delicate flavoringisused,itmaybeneeessarvtoreduce the amount 0! ordinary sugar to avoid excessive sweetness.

The present invention brings about an unusually great improvement when it is used in connection with high butter tat ice creams oi delicate flavor. The increase in "coldness" plus the reduction in quantity of materials likely to mask the flavor or cream both contribute to this result. For similar my invention results in decided improvement in the lower butter fat ice creams but it should be pointed out that it does not offer any opportunity to increase bulk at the oi. butter i'at. One particular advantage of my invention is that "sliekness" which sometimes gives trouble in high butter fat ice creams may be entirely overcome.

Slight dlflerences in flavor of ice cream are very difllcult to detect, partly because it is a cold prodnot and the amount oi flavoring must be exaggerated, and partly because the flavor may be sharply aiiected by chances in freezing technique, overrun and the like. However, I have found that in most instances an improvement in flavor as well as in body and texture is clearly detectable when I increase the amount or lactose by 0.5 per cent of the total weight of the ice cream above the amount which was contained in the skim milk solids iormerly used in a given formulation. Ex-

otlrcrwise. the improvement is clearly deratio assumed above of lactose tectable ii the ratio 0! lactose to the other components oi skim milk solids in the improved ice cream is greater than the ratio oi lactose to said other components in skim milk solids by at least 10 per cent of said last-mentioned ratio.

In general, I prefer to increase the amount or lactose to a quantity which will not seem to make flavor and type oi ice cream too cold will still be below the limit established by the tendency of lactose to produce a sandy texture.

Itistobeundcrstoodthatitisintendedtocover all changes and modifications oi the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of illustration which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope or the invention.

1 claim:

1. As an article 0! manufacture ice cream containing in addition to the usual sweetening, fiavoring and stabilizing materials: butter fat, skim milk solids, and lactose additional to that contained in said skim milk solids, the quantity of lactose in the finished ice cream bearing a ratio to the quantity 0! mineral salts present as milk solids therein greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids.

2. As an article of manufacture ice cream containing in addition to the usual sweetening, flavoring and stabilizing materials: butter fat, skim milk solids, and lactose additional to that contained in said skim milk solids, said lactose being selected irom the group consisting of alpha, beta and crude lactoses, the quantity of lactose in the finished ice cream bearing a ratio to the quantity of mineral salts present as milk solids therein greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids.

3. As an article of manufacture ice cream containing in addition to the usual sweetening, fiavoring and stabilizing materials: butter fat, skim milk solids, and lactose additional to that contained in said skim milk solids, the quantity of lactose in the finished ice cream bearing a ratio to the quantity of mineral salts present as milk solids therein greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids and being such that the total lactose in said ice cream shall not exceed approximately 6% by weight of the finished ice cream.

4. As an article of manufacture ice cream containing in addition to the usual sweetening. flavorini; and stabilizing materials: butter fat, skim milk solids, and lactose additional to that contained in said skim milk solids, said lactose being selected from the group consisting of alpha, beta and crude lactoses, the quantity of lactose in the greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids and being such that the total lactose in said ice cream shall not exceed approximately 6% by weight of the imished ice cream.

5. In a method of producing ice cream including as principal ins'redients butter fat, skim milk solids, sugar and flavoring material, the improvement which comprises adding as an ingredient of said ice cream lactose selected item the group crude laetoses, the addition finished ice cream bears a ratio to the quantity or mineral salts present as milk solids therein greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids.

6. In a method of producing ice cream including as principal ingredients butter fat, skim milk solids, sugar and flavoring material, the improvement which comprises adding as an ingredient of said ice cream lactose selected from the group consisting of alpha, beta, and crude lactoses, the quantity of lactose thus added being in addition to the lactose contained in said skim milk solids and being such that the quantity of lactose in the finished ice cream bears a ratio to the quantity of mineral salts present as milk solids therein greater by at least 10% than the ratio of lactose to mineral salts in skim milk solids and the lactose content of said finished ice cream is not greater than about 6% by weight of said finished ice cream.

CARL F. KOERVER.

10 REFERENCES crmn The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATmTS OTHER REFERENCES "The Manufacture of Low-Lactose Skim Milk for Use in Ice Cream, reprinted from Journal of Dairy Science, February 1934, vol. XVII, No. 2, pages 103-114. 

1. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE ICE CREAM CONTAINING IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL SWEETENING, FLAVORING AND STABILIZING MATERIALS; BUTTER FAT, SKIM MILK SOLIDS, AND LACTOSE ADDITIONAL TO THAT CONTAINED IN SAID SKIM MILK SOLIDS, THE QUANTITY OF LACTOSE IN THE FINISHED ICE CREAM BEARING A RATIO TO THE QUANTITY OF MINERAL SALTS PRESENT AS MILK SOLIDS THEREIN GREATER BY AT LEAST 10% THAN THE RATIO OF LACTOSE TO MINERAL SALTS IN SKIM MILK SOLIDS. 